Parish Hall

St. Luke’s new Parish Hall will be finished within a few weeks providing a beautiful new space to hold events both for the parish and approved organizations in our community. But the building is not an end unto itself. It’s a means of reaching out to those around us in new ways and inviting them to share with us in the life and the work of Christ. Our goal is to make it a “beehive” of activity in the coming months and years. Bishop George Sumner will join us on Sunday, December 22 to bless and dedicate the Parish Hall and the Wahlquist Garden Chapel following the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist. Be sure to be with us for the joyous occasion and celebration as we also announce the Parish Hall name!

Outreach

Under the leadership of Deacon Rosemary, St. Luke’s has built one of the most extensive and effective outreach programs in the diocese for a church our size. Our outreach programs include:

Austin Street Sandwich Ministry
Blessing Bags
Dallas Champions Academy
Gateway of Grace
Gateway Angel Tree Gifts
Gleaners’ Harvest
Honduras Medical Mission
Kramer Elementary School
Michaelsen Memorial Fund
North Dallas Shared Ministries
Plaid Door
St. Clare’s Guild
Diocesan Convention Outreach
Duernberger Memorial Garden
Park Cities Day School

(photos from top left) Sandwich Ministry, Blessing of the Animals;
(row 2) Kramer Elementary Teacher Breakfast, Grandparents’ Day;
(row 3) Park Cities Day School “Happy Hour”, Plaid Door

Parish Life Coordinator

To reenergize our ministries to parishioners and to reach out to the surrounding community, Wendy Lambert, an energetic event planner, has joined St. Luke’s staff filling the part-time position of Parish Life Coordinator. She will focus on Fellowship and Outreach opportunities for our members that will strengthen our church community and enable us to invite friends and neighbors to share in the love of Christ with us.

The possibilities include:

• Cultural outings to area museums and venues like The Arboretum,
• Creative Arts and Crafts classes,
• Volunteering at community outreach agencies such as North Dallas Shared Ministries and others.

In the coming weeks Wendy will be canvassing the congregation to get ideas on what new activities would be of interest to you.

Chair Yoga

In October we began offering a free Chair Yoga class on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. led by yoga instructor Amanda Hunter, which has been very popular. Chair yoga is credited with improving flexibility, balance, pain management, and reducing stress in older adults. We are looking to expand this program and to begin new ones that meet the needs of parishioners and the surrounding community.

Giving

We are extremely grateful for your unwavering commitment during the recent, sometimes trying, years. You have always answered the challenges with support and encouragement. At this stewardship time, please thoughtfully consider how you will support St. Luke’s in 2025. It’s been two years since we’ve requested any increase in pledging and we all know how prices have gone up. Please consider increasing your pledge to help defray the additional costs associated with our new and reenergized ministries. But more importantly, your time, effort, and engagement are essential to achieving our common goals.

Yours in Christ,

What a joy it has been, and continues to be, to serve among you as deacon at St. Luke’s!

A deacon is called to serve all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely. But it was never intended that a deacon serve alone….rather a deacon’s ministry is to encourage others to serve with her, and also to empower others to lead, as the church reaches out to serve the needs, concerns and hopes of their community and the world.

My role is easy, because you, St. Luke’s family, are very willing servants of Our Lord!

You offer your time, volunteering in the Plaid Door, helping make sandwiches for Austin Street.

You offer your treasure, donating items for Blessing Bags, and remembering those who are hungry as you bring your items for the Gleaners’ Harvest.

You find joy in providing Angel Tree gifts for the children of Gateway of Grace, and contributing generously to Seed Planter initiatives like the Toy Drive for children in South Dallas.

You provide leadership in amazing efforts, like our Honduras Medical Mission Trip, and the Daughters of the King’s project to assist students of the Dallas Champions Academy.

And that is just some of our Outreach ministries! In addition, we have many wonderful folks participating in our “Inreach” ministries…serving our St. Luke’s community as Acolytes, Altar Guild members, Choir, Greeters, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, Readers and Ushers to name a few.

In a parish family with so many folks willing and able to serve in so many ways, the ministry of the deacon is indeed a joy. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve with you.

Let us continue to be generous in the giving of our time and gifts as servants of our Lord. Join with Charlie and me in support of the stewardship campaign that will enable St. Luke’s to continue to grow its ministries to the community and the parish.

Let us look forward with joyful anticipation to the new ways the Spirit will lead us to serve in this next year.

Your fellow servant for Christ,